In the world of sports, we talk about unforced errors: in 1986, when Steve Smith shot a puck off Edmonton Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr and into his own net.
In the policing world, Chief Charles Bordeleau seems determined to do the same.
Left with plenty of open ice and an easy shot to clear the zone, Bordeleau’s made a shocking stumble: As of July 22, Supt. Chris Rheaume will receive a temporary promotion, becoming acting deputy chief, in charge of all investigations.
Except Rheaume’s under investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police as part of a probe into allegations of evidence manipulation and fraud. He’s one of three senior police employees implicated. The allegations were made by defence lawyer Michael Edelson in May, and Bordeleau asked the OPP flatfoots to step in.
That, of course, was the right move.
When there are allegations of impropriety among police, the public needs to be reassured that they were treated with the utmost seriousness.
Furthermore, the public must be reassured that all police work is done without fear or favour or any sort of taint or prejudice.
The promotion of a person under investigation by another police force, unfortunately, casts aspersions over the force. Innocent until proven guilty, absolutely, but policing is a profession that requires trust.
Thanks to the force’s missteps in recent years, the well of trust in this town is running dry.
Promoting Rheaume, at this point, is only going to make this problem worse.
The reason he’s getting the job is that Deputy Chief Steve Bell is going to be away for a time.
Fair enough — the job needs to be filled. But this was a choice by Bordeleau that, quite simply, doesn’t make any sense.
As we say, an unforced error.
In recent months, Bordeleau has received much of the blame for the Ottawa Police Service’s troubles. This hasn’t always been fair.
In the false traffic warnings scandal, individual cops are at fault; in the case of Const. Daniel Montsion, charged following the death of Abdirahman Abdi, it is not Bordeleau’s fault the Special Investigations Unit determined charges were warranted.
But Bordeleau has made missteps before. He was cleared in the case where conflict of interest allegations swirled about him, as it was alleged he interfered with his father-in-law’s traffic ticket.
Cleared, yes, but surely some damage was done, in the eyes of the public and the force.
Again, this will be the effect of this promotion.
The chief should rethink it. For the good of the force.

Editorial:It’s another unforced error by Chief Bordeleau

In the world of sports, we talk about unforced errors: in 1981, when Steve Smith shot a puck off Edmonton Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr and into his own net.
In the policing world, Chief Charles Bordeleau seems determined to do the same.
Left with plenty of open ice and an easy shot to clear the zone, Bordeleau’s made a shocking stumble: As of July 22, Supt. Chris Rheaume will receive a temporary promotion, becoming acting deputy chief, in charge of all investigations.
Except Rheaume’s under investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police as part of a probe into allegations of evidence manipulation and fraud. He’s one of three senior police employees implicated. The allegations were made by defence lawyer Michael Edelson in May, and Bordeleau asked the OPP flatfoots to step in.
That, of course, was the right move.
When there are allegations of impropriety among police, the public needs to be reassured that they were treated with the utmost seriousness.